Ben Revere is out of the lineup with a swollen right ring finger, which he says is just a day-to-day injury. But with the way he’s hitting, plus the ability for John Mayberry to play multiple positions, you have to wonder if Revere is 100 percent an everyday player. We shall see.

Carlos Ruiz also gets a breather after a 1-for-12 start. Charlie Manuel said he’s pressing a bit, trying to do too much, which seems to be a theme this season.

What’s funny – and which is something we highlighted on the latest episode of Phillies Nation TV – is how much it’s a joy to watch Kyle Kendrick pitch. He’s got a new-found bulldog approach and will look to keep his hot start rolling against the worst team in the majors.

Keep an eye on Delmon Young in right field tonight, his first start on that side since 2007.

Yesterday we highlighted Great Lakes’ Eliot Ness, so we’ll keep it going with the Great Lakes brews. Burning River Ale is a 5-time Gold Medal winner at the World Beer Championships, so it has to be good. The Burning River is an assertively hopped American pale ale with citrusy and piney Cascade hops, which is perfect for this weather. Love a solid pale ale when spring is about to turn to summer. Throw some burgers on the fire and open one of these. – PG

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44 Comments

1- not being smart but you said Chooch is getting a breather but you have him in the lineup?
2- why no write up from yesterday’s game?- articles when we get smashed are good too. And this IS the site I look for- for my articles as I hardly get any games living in DC
3- this IS the best site for the Phillies

People are already jumping ship Glutenous. Unlike last year not many folk are going for its still early line. Philadelphia fans even the casual fans are smarter than that. Besides its a flawed team i dont think they have the same chemistry and makeup that they once had. Something isnt clicking….You kind of feel at times they just going through the motions..

i think you are right on the money baca. Last year it was obvious why they weren’t good, They didn’t have the horses. This year, they have everybody healthy- yet they can’t win. Something is VERY wrong, but it’s hard to isolate what it is.

Good for Roy Oswalt. A little less dilly dallying around than the last year or two, and his minor league deal might give him a chance to walk away from the game on a more positive note than the way it appeared over after last year’s debacle in Texas. Roy says he’s healthier than he’s been since 2010, and perhaps a clear vision of the end has developed a more urgent approach than seemed there. Nice pitching record at Coors, too in a short history at that park.

Here’s a bullshit opinion to start the game. It’s bullshit, but at the same time, it might have a touch of ingenious to it. I noticed this during the spring. Phils were playing the Empire one night, and I noticed a lot of smiling and laughing by the Yankee players. I just noticed the Fish doing that with the Phanatic, and it reminded me of my reaction that night. Phils, on the other hand, how much smiling and laughing do we see from a relatively stoic bunch. Smiling and laughing in the good times is easy. That’s not when you need it.

That relative rally by this outstanding, prideful Phils offense prompts a thought that the answer would probably provide surprise. Pitcher leds off with a base hit, what’s the percentage of times a team scores. You gotta figure it’s certainly above average, maybe like 30%.

At the end of week 1 of the season, Chris Davis had 84 rbi. That’s pretty good. Miguel Cabrera has now caught Davis, and leads the rib brigade, 29-28. With that insurmountable lead, and as rumored this off season, enroute to a 2nd straight Triple Crown, Cabrera has the baseball gods on his side with the Tigers playing Houston. I can’t wait to see who has more rbi by Sunday night, the Phils or Cabrera. I’m an optimist. I like the Phils in a close race.

Fleeting s it might be, Brownie’s up o .261 with that 2nd hit of the night. Boy, a run somewhere in the mix would be nice. A good May would get him some attention. Been there done that, but here’s another chance.

Not to get too far ahead of things, or try to stir up trouble, the Phils small lead at least lends toward a possible Papelbon night. That might set up him getting some press attention post game. Wonder if any troublemaker scribe might be in place with that iffy plot to ask the leadership evaluator to react to Cliff’s pride assessment last night. I’m sure everyone in da park is evaluating the chances as we write.

I guess the first 7 years what they’ll discuss was how it was a padding experience. It gave the Phils a lead, but it really wasn’t needed since they would still have 4 or 5 more innings to take the lead, so Howard was just being selfish.

But I agree, the conversation should go a dozen years, I just don’t know how it will defray off how he padded.

Heh – Jimmy Basepaths. I realize you’re playing with AFW here, but before some people take it seriously, I’ll just note that Rollins has been one of the best baserunners in baseball throughout his career, up to and including this year.

KK with another solid outing numbers wise but he may be fortunate that he was facing the fish tonight. He made a bunch of mistakes, leaving pitches up in the zone that better hitters may have taken advantage of.

Its the Marlins but a win is a win no matter who it is. Phillies need to sweep this 4 game set. At LEAST take 3.

Phillies now 8-2 vs the Mutts and Guppies. 5-14 against all other teams. I think this says a lot. The Phillies seem to be able to beat bad teams but struggle against average and good teams. One game at a time though, and you can only beat who takes the field opposite you.

“I think this says a lot.”
@glutenous, I don’t know what this tells you. There is no reason to lump the Mets, who are about average overall, and one of the better hitting teams in the NL, in with the Marlins.

The Nationals are 8-1 against the Marlins and the White Sox, and 7-13 against everyone else. Are the White Sox better than the Mets this year? Doubt it.